Jack Harrington told everyone who asked that he’d gotten over Connor a long time ago. And while he still hasn’t managed to convince himself, he moves on with his life. He doesn’t have a choice. Connor is gone for good.

Or is he?

Connor Warden didn’t plan to ever come back to Harrington Hills, but with an infant in tow, that is exactly what he does. His daughter needs a pack and he is going to give it to her.

When Jack and Connor’s lives literally collide again, will they be able to go back to what had been and find their connection once more? Or is the divide between them too deep to ever fully get over?

If the second-chance theme is your jam, then this is your book. There are so many things and so many moments I loved in this story and I liked that the author took the story back to its shifter roots. The first book, Leading Me Home was friends-to-lovers, it was also pretty family/pack centric. The dynamics of the MC’s and the family were core to the story. Building a Home, the second in the series, was all about MC’s with an age difference with a side of hurt/comfort, but it moved away from the pack a bit and the story could have been about just two contemporary dudes and not having anything to do with shifters. It was a good story, I enjoyed the MC’s muchly, but I did miss the shifter world the author created. It’s a unique family setup compared to typical shifter stories, the alpha and beta are a committed lesbian couple and we just don’t see enough female alphas depicted as far as I’m concerned, so I was pretty happy Mom A and Mom B are more present in Coming Back Home.

And it makes sense, one of the MC’s, Jack Harrington, is their son and it doesn’t matter if your mom is an alpha to a wolf pack or carpooling a soccer team, she’s still a mama bear at heart. But, big props to Mom A as she protected her son as his mom and Conner as his alpha; I obviously have a lot of respect for her character :D. Jack and Conner were split apart after teen love and angst had taken hold when Conner left Harrington Hills. And this is part of what I love about Coming Back Home, the realistic flavor of the relationship between Jack and Conner. It’s also part of what kept me from rating the story higher than I did.

Jack and Conner had such a close and comforting relationship as young men, but to believe they would get their HEA while still in high school is a bit ridiculous. So, the split was heartbreaking, but it made their cautious reunion more real and the HEA as adults believable. What was missing was the backstory. It’s referred to in bits and by the end I knew all the facts, but I wanted all the nuances that made these two grow from idealistic boys to grown men with responsibilities and families. I would have loved to read their growth and what drove their decisions. I mean, I know what drove them because I was told, but I did want more.

But, what story I did get from Jack and Conner, and their present world was so good. They danced carefully around one another, but I knew both their thoughts, so I could read with confidence where they were coming from and they never tortured one another, or more importantly, me, with miscommunication or unnecessary angst. I think because their adult relationship was so well done was why I wanted the first phase of their relationship so badly.

The cautious optimism grew between Jack and Conner, it made an HEA between them inevitable and it was a warm fuzzy road along the way once they opened up to one another. The last thing I would want is a conversation between Mom A and Conner, I’m hoping that gets revisited in the next book because Conner is in need of some parental support.

Coming Back Home is a lovely comfort read with a second chance theme that totally worked for the adult side of Jack and Conner. I do hope they make an appearance in the next in the series, as I do have complete confidence in forever for Jack and Conner, I want to see some love for Conner in the Harrington family, that would complete my happy for them.

When Shawn’s best mate Dave breaks up with his girlfriend, Shawn tries not to get his hopes up. After all, Dave’s still straight, right? Wrong. Dave reveals he’s bisexual, and that pounding you hear is Shawn’s heart. He’s loved Dave for so long, but he’s not about to jeopardize their friendship by telling Dave how he really feels.

But when Dave discovers Shawn’s little kink, it opens up a whole new chapter for the two friends. Except Shawn can’t help but worry – if there was no kink, would Dave be there? And is Shawn brave enough to find out?

A standalone short story of lust, lace – and love….

Reviewer: Lost in a Book

Welllllll, that was a cute little read. Lace isn’t a thought provoking, deep MC, profound story with a message, book. I don’t think it’s supposed to be either. It served its purpose on being a light hearted, fluffy, manties filled short story.

Shawn and Dave are best friends and have been since they were teenagers. Shawn has been in love with Dave since they were 15 and is still pining away for his straight best friend. Errrr… or not.

“Dave? Since when does a straight guy flirt with another man?” Dave raised his head and peered at him through his eyelashes. “Since he discovered that he’s not totally straight, but bi?”

After this little admission, Dave tucks his tail between his legs and runs without discussing this further with Shawn. After a week of avoiding Shawn, Dave shows up and they are supposed to hang out. While Shawn is in the bathroom, Dave decides he is going to be a do-gooder and put away Shawn’s laundry. This is when he discovers… wait for it…. THE MANTIES!!!!!!!!!!!!

Dave. Is. A. Fan.

“Yeah.” Another soft kiss to his ear. “I want to see you in these panties.”

Yassssssssss! One would think with Dave’s newfound confession and lack of experience with men that he would be tentative in the initial moments of his first time. Not. At. All.

“When he was close enough that he could feel Dave’s body heat, Dave looked up at him with a smile that made his heart beat faster, before bending lower and fastening his mouth around the head of Shawn’s cock that poked up over the lace.”

Dave is a little over achiever and is master of all skills from the start. Blow job? Psshhh, please! Swallowing? Of Course, and on the first time. Prep work? Easy peasy! Rimming? On it! Reality has to be suspended just a tad. *shrug*

Still, this was a friends to lovers read that had me. It was cute and hot until it turned into a cheesy after school special around 81%. That “angst” was weak sauce.

“I’m sorry, but I had to say something. Don’t get me wrong. If it comes down to a choice between not having you in my life, or having you like this—I dress up in lingerie so you want to fuck me—then fine, I’ll take you like this. Right now I’ll take what I can get.”

Huh? Dave likes your kink and then it becomes the main issue in the book because after having sex a couple times you think that lace is all he wants from you? *rolls eyes* The bigger drama should have been Dave outing your kink to a “friend” at the gym. Oh well.

As for editing, I had an issue with formatting. I read all books on my kindle app with a black background and white text. Throughout the read, I noticed as I turned the page there were missing words. When I switched to a white background and black text the words magically reappeared. No idea why this was an issue but it definitely messed up my groove at times.

Anywhoo, with reality suspended and a few eye rolls, I was able to enjoy this kink-lite read on a lazy afternoon. I’d recommend it to manties fans who are looking for something that is light and fluffy.

Welcome to the Single Malt Reboot Tour! Author Layla Reyne visits with a major discount, teasers and giveaway! Haven't tried the Agents Irish and Whiskey series yet? You're in luck! The first in the series, Single Malt, is having a flash sale June 9th-12th! See our review HERE!The author is also giving away 2 Single Malt Prize packs includes a Single Malt Mug and $10 Amazon gift card!

"Sexy, smart and suspenseful - this book has it all." --HelenKay Dimon, author of Mr. & Mr. Smith

"With sharp writing, compelling characters, and an engaging plot, Single Malt is the M/M romantic suspense series I've been waiting for." -- Santino Hassell, award-winning author of the FIVE BOROUGHS series

Book Blurb: Eight months after the car crash that changed everything, FBI agent Aidan Talley is back at work. New department, new case and a new partner. Smart, athletic and handsome, Jameson Walker is twelve years his junior. Even if Aidan was ready to move on—and he's not—Jamie is off-limits.

Jamie's lusted after Aidan for three years, and the chance to work with San Francisco's top agent directly is too good to pass up. Aidan is prickly—to put it mildly—but a growing cyber threat soon proves Jamie's skills invaluable.

Jamie's talents paint a target on his back, and Aidan is determined to protect him. But with hack after hack threatening a high-security biocontainment facility, time is running out to thwart a deadly terrorist attack. They'll have to filter out distractions, on the case and in their partnership, to identify the real enemy, solve the case and save thousands of lives, including their own.

Teasers from Single Malt:
Teaser 1:

“Easy, Irish.” Walker removed his baseball cap and ran a hand through his hair, ruffling the flattened waves.

“Irish?”

Walker’s blue eyes sparkled like he’d solved an impossible puzzle. “The cufflinks, the brogue in your voice that slips sometimes…” He leaned forward and Aidan fought not to react to the heady tropical scent of White Cristal cologne. “And I’ve only ever seen eyes that color on natural redheads.”

“What color is that?” Aidan asked, putting aside the fact Walker had seen through the disguise he’d worn for three decades.

“Autumn,” Walker answered, voice dropping an octave. “Like a pile of fall leaves back home, right after it rains. Dark brown swirled with brick red and flecks of gold.”

Teaser 2:

“Come on, Jamie. Open those beautiful blue eyes for me.”

Walker’s forehead wrinkled and his eyelids fluttered open, the gaze beneath them hazy and unfocused. “Irish?”

Pure relief and blinding need propelled Aidan across the console. Fingers digging into Walker’s neck, he slammed their mouths together and tasted the precious life flowing from his partner’s lips.

Teaser 3:

He laid his hands flat on Walker’s chest. “You, Whiskey. I was kissing you.” Walker’s heart pounded beneath his palms, and Aidan curled his fingers into the cotton of his tee, wishing he could reach inside and feel the beating pulse of that organ, the very evidence Walker was alive and whole.

Teaser 4:

Eyes darkening, Aidan tilted toward him. “What would you do,” he said, voice rough and rumbling, “if you’d already lost the love of your life, only to find a second chance at something—maybe love, you’re not sure yet—and before you can even wrap your head around the idea, that second chance is almost snatched away? Not once but twice.”

Teaser 5:

Aidan breathed deep, fighting not to melt into his partner’s embrace. Everything about the moment enticed him to bury his face in Walker’s neck and let go—that deep molasses voice, the tempting cologne, a warm embrace after months of cold loneliness.

2016 RWA® Golden Heart® Finalist, Layla Reyne, was raised in North Carolina but now calls San Francisco home. She enjoys weaving her bi-coastal experiences into her stories, along with adrenaline fueled suspense and heart pounding romance. When she’s not writing stories to excite her readers, she downloads too many books, watches too much television, and cooks too much food with her scientist husband, much to the delight of their smushed-face, leftover-loving dogs.

Jack and Dean love each other, but they’re missing the woman to complete their triangle. When newly divorced Paige Richards buys a Bed and Breakfast on Hamlet Island and employs them to help her fix the inn up, Jack and Dean are sure they’ve found the one they’ve been looking for. Despite the playful, sexy clues they drop, luscious Paige is reticent about getting involved, even when they set the stage so she can stumble on them in action. They can tell by her responses she wants to join them, but rumors travel fast on the small island, and tales of a threesome could get back to the conservative, family vacation crowd who won’t patronize those with an alternative lifestyle. And the last thing they want for Paige is the B&B’s rooms…and her bank account…to remain empty. But Jack and Dean will stop at nothing to prove to Paige that she can have it all…with them.

After much angst over how to rate and/or review this book I've landed on 2 Hearts because I was EN-TER-TAINED! I'm not sure if the author intended this to be bawdy but it was to me.It's a safe bet that there will be spoilage ahead.

Ever watch bad porn? It starts off fair to middling then the "actors" try to start "acting" and maybe even the director gets in on the thing and tries to throw a plot off in there and you don't know what to do with yourself? Should you stay and see this thing through or say fuck this noise and tap out?

Well, I stayed. I couldn't stop myself. I blame General Hospital for this character deficit.Paige is a recent divorcee and is part drama queen divided by crazy train who meets her match in tweedledee and tweedledum a.k.a. Jack and Dean. This thing between them has been brewing for almost a year with her being clueless to all their not at all subtle come-ons including staging a boning sesh in a beach pavilion when they knew she'd be walking by. From the time they get together to the end is maybe a month and it escalates quickly, as these things tend to do. The instalove is strong with this one.

Let me just say I had NO idea that the buying, trading and selling of fictional properties with the possibility of bankrupty looming at the roll of the dice known as Monopoly could lead to burying one's face inside another's vagina. Might I say ouch and way to think outside the just a board game box.

The sex these people have laughs in the face of human capacity with everlasting orgasms, exploding and monster magic peens that spring up like they were on a clapper. Rebound time. Schmebound time.

"I'm going to fuck you as soon as you drench his face."

All of which is to be expected in porn but then the soap opera began. Jack and Dean have an ex-girlfriend who was apparently banging other dudes while they were together which somehow Jack knew but Dean didn't. *squints* She then decided she didn't want to be "that girl" which apparently translates into being in a triad rather than banging a bunch of randoms so Stephanie (ex) ultimatumed Dean with a marriage proposal that would've second stringed Jack in public and Jack's feels are still hurt. Dean put the kibosh on that deal with a quickness and promptly turned around and married Jack. Well, guess who's back in town with a kid no less?

She sails a foursome sitch past Paige and Paige whips out the martyr card to Dean and Jack when Jack's all welllll mebbe? *cue more dramatics* Much tears. Hasty break up due to butthurtedness. Deliberate obtuseness. Complete balderdash.

"Stephanie makes my dick hard."

Dean sighed.

"But she doesn't touch my heart. Paige is my choice. Now and forever. If Brendon is ours, we'll make sure Paige knows that while Stephanie is the mother of our child, she'll never be our wife. Paige is the only wife for us."

The struggle to contain my laughter was real.I haven't even mentioned Paige's rents, her ex or how this seemingly idyllic isle is actually Stepford. Her parents floated her 60K so she could open the B&B with a clause that basically says if they don't like anything she does with it or if she doesn't repay the 60K within her first year of business then they can take it away from her. Like, what's even the point of that? The plot thickens when Paige gets a bee in her bonnet, "moves some money around" and repays her parents within her first week of opening!

How...? What even?

The drama continues as Fred, her ex, keeps turning up in her life seemingly trying to make inroads back to her despite the fact that he's now engaged to Barbie, the woman he left her for and, for the record, Paige caught him with at the Waldorf while Paige was sporting a French maid outfit underneath her trench. BURN!!!!! Inexplicably he's still SUPER tight with her parents, makes the trek out to the isle with them for the grand opening and wants to rent out the B&B for his wedding! *cackles*

I've no clue how old these dudes are but they are cliched good boy/bad boy archtypes. Jack is the bad boy with tattoos and a penchant for some bedroom bossiness and a mouth that should be duct taped.

"Let's just ask her outright. Do you want to fuck or not?""...We'll treat her like a queen.""Fuck her like porn stars." Jack mimicked bending her over and fucking her from behind.

"My cock," Jack mouthed and then pointed to his crotch with two thumbs up.

Dean smacked him.

"And yours," Jack mouthed and pointed.

Dean is the "good" one that's clean-cut, reliable, steady and your basic snoozefest. But she loves them both with all her heart. Well, half her heart. Since two dudes. And an illegitimate bébé.If you like a soap, there was never a dull moment.

Quinn Anderson is here today talking character names. She's also promoting her latest, Action, a contemporary MM romance involving PORN STARS!!!Also be sure to enter the giveaway below. Good Luck!

Picking Character Names

I have trouble coming up with character names. I admit it. I tend to go
for the same kind of names all the time, too. For a while, my main characters
all had one syllable, four letter names: Zack, John, Pete, Evan, Kyle, and so on.
I needed some variety, so naturally I turned to lists of popular baby names,
but for some added fun, I also used Facebook.

Whenever I need a name, I post on Facebook saying, “the first person to
comment on this gets a character named after them!” and whoever is the fastest
wins! Not a bad way to get immortalized in print, right? And my followers
always have a lot of fun in the comments, whether they were first or not. Some
have even told me they set their preferences so that my statuses show up first,
so they can snatch a spot before it’s gone, ha ha.

That’s a good reason to follow my Facebook author page, if you like!
You could end up in one of my novels. 😊

Thanks for reading, and good luck in the giveaway!

Hello, everyone!
This is Quinn Anderson, author of the Murmur Inc. series, and I’m here to share
some inside information about Action,
coming out June 5th. Stay tuned to get an inside look at what filming porn is
really like, hear fun facts about this novel, and find out what’s next for the
Murmur Inc. series. Leave comments on the tour posts for a chance to win a $10
Riptide Publishing gift card!

About Action

Pete
Griflow is the last person anyone would suspect of being a porn star. He’s
quiet, gawky, and can’t even talk to guys without turning red. But on camera,
he’s a different person. In the porn world, he’s Jaden Prime, a coquettish
power bottom who’s been tantalizing fans for over a year now.

Pete
is in a rut, though, and he knows it. And what’s worse, his boss knows it. If
he can’t reignite his passion for the biz, he’s going to have trouble paying
his none-too-cheap college tuition.

When
Pete is given the opportunity to star in a huge summer production, sparks fly
between him and his costar, Kyle Darko. Kyle is Pete’s opposite: he’s daring,
achingly sexy, and in love with the sex industry. Their chemistry is palpable
on and off screen, but dating on a porn set is tricky. Even pros struggle to
separate fantasy from reality, especially with a script dictating their
seduction. But what’s building between them can’t be ignored, and it’s so much
more than getting some “action.”

Quinn Anderson is
an alumna of the University of Dublin in Ireland and has a master’s degree in
psychology. She wrote her dissertation on sexuality in popular literature and
continues to explore evolving themes in erotica in her professional life.

A nerd
extraordinaire, she was raised on an unhealthy diet of video games, anime, pop
culture, and comics from infancy. She stays true to her nerd roots in writing
and in life and frequently draws inspiration from her many fandoms, which
include Sherlock, Harry Potter, Supernatural, Lord of the Rings, Star Wars,
Buffy, Marvel, and more. You will often find her interacting with fellow fans
online and offline via conventions and tumblr, and she is happy to talk about
anything from nerd life to writing tips. She has attended conventions on three
separate continents and now considers herself a career geek. She advises anyone
who attends pop culture events in the UK to watch out for Weeping Angels, as
they are everywhere.

Her favorite
television show is Avatar: the Last Airbender, her favorite film is Tangled,
and her favorite book is Ella Enchanted. She can often be spotted at
conventions, comic shops, and midnight book releases. If you're at an event,
and you see a 6'2'' redhead wandering around with a vague look on her face,
that's probably her. Her favorite authors include J.K. Rowling, Gail Carson Levine,
Libba Bray, and Tamora Pierce. When she's not writing, she enjoys traveling,
cooking, spending too much time on the internet, screwing the rules, finding
the Master Sword, guided falling, consulting for the NYPD, guarding the galaxy,
boldly going, and catching 'em all.

To celebrate the
release of Action, one lucky winner
will receive a $10 Riptide credit! Leave
a comment with your contact info to enter the contest. Entries close at
midnight, Eastern time, on June 10, 2017. Contest is NOT restricted to U.S.
entries. Thanks for followingthe
tour, and don’t forget to leave your contact info!

Welcome to Dim Sum Asylum: a San Francisco where it’s a ho-hum kind of case when a cop has to chase down an enchanted two-foot-tall shrine god statue with an impressive Fu Manchu mustache that's running around Chinatown, trolling sex magic and chaos in its wake.

Senior Inspector Roku MacCormick of the Chinatown Arcane Crimes Division faces a pile of challenges far beyond his human-faerie heritage, snarling dragons guarding C-Town’s multiple gates, and exploding noodle factories. After a case goes sideways, Roku is saddled with Trent Leonard, a new partner he can’t trust, to add to the crime syndicate family he doesn’t want and a spell-casting serial killer he desperately needs to find.

While Roku would rather stay home with Bob the Cat and whiskey himself to sleep, he puts on his badge and gun every day, determined to serve and protect the city he loves. When Chinatown’s dark mystical underworld makes his life hell and the case turns deadly, Trent guards Roku’s back and, if Trent can be believed, his heart... even if from what Roku can see, Trent is as dangerous as the monsters and criminals they’re sworn to bring down.

* Novel-length expansion of original short story found in Charmed & Dangerous anthology. *

Averaged!

Adam - 3 Hearts

I read the original short story in the Charmed and Dangerous anthology and I liked it well enough. Like the short, this expanded version delivers on the worldbuilding and crime mystery, though it’s light on the romance.

The book is told through the POV of Roku MacCormick, an inspector with the Chinatown Arcane Crime Division. Though he comes off as sarcastic and distant, it’s a facade he uses to deal with his painful past. His tragic backstory is revealed in stages throughout the book.

Roku’s teamed with newcomer Trent Leonard. Trent is Roku’s complete opposite - polished, by-the-book, and wholly unfamiliar with the intricacies of Chinatown politics. The two clash from the beginning, but there’s also an undeniable attraction simmering between them.

As always with Rhys Ford, the mystery was complex and very entertaining. It’s a rollercoaster of arcane magic, murder, mobster politics, and decades-old family feuds.

At first, there doesn’t seem to be any rhyme or reason to the different dangerous scenarios that Trent and Roku find themselves in. However, as the story progresses, the web that Rhys Ford weaves begins making more sense.

The build-up is slow, but the big conclusion was explosive and kept me on the edge of my seat.

Where this book really shines is the worldbuilding. Rhys Ford creates an alternative universe San Francisco in which different mythical beings live alongside humans, and magic is a common part of life. I really enjoyed the vivid descriptions of the city and its inhabitants.

The romance between Roku and Trent plays second fiddle for most of the book. There’s an immediate attraction between them, but they’re too busy dealing with the investigation to explore it.

Even so, the relationship borders on insta-love. Within a couple of days, both Trent and Roku think they’d be good together in the long-haul. I’m not a fan of insta-love, but I could appreciate that Roku and Trent fit well together. Ultimately though, the romance was just lukewarm.

Also, I would have liked to read Trent’s POV. His backstory is even more complex than Roku’s, so I would have liked more insight on that.

How in the hell do I review this and make any sense? Wow. My mind is full and totally blown from this world Rhys Ford created. I am not sure I will do this book justice but I’m going to try.

First, I never read the short in the Charmed and Dangerous anthology so I have no comparison between the two. I will say I am so damn happy I read this full length story first because with the want I have of more from this world, a short would have left me a total mess.

Okay…

We meet Senior Inspector Roku MacCormick as he is chasing down his current partner who has stolen dragon eggs. Not only is Roku chasing him through the incredible streets of fantastical Chinatown but a group of flying lizards as well who want their eggs back. Shit goes down, Roku saves the eggs but a life is lost in the process. The life is one that is fae, just like Roku is part fae. Why is that important? Because it’s the backbone of this story.

This world, where magical creatures and magic itself exist in today’s San Francisco as we know it was amazing. Ford gives you every detail of the scenes in cinematic storytelling that you are instantly transported to this new world and swear you can smell the wonton soup as you walk down the crowded streets full of mystical creatures. Oh and this world, these creatures? Roku is half fae, a naturally born half breed of faery and human that lives basically in a half state of… everything in his life. Roku is a good cop, he’s amazing at what he does though with a recent loss to his family, he’s become a bit of a lethal weapon, not caring what happens to him as long as the bad guys go down. But Roku carries the weight of this loss not only through stars on his wrist and clusters on his back but with the heaviest chip on his shoulder and guilt on his soul.

When Roku is assigned a new partner courtesy of Captain Gaines who is also his godfather, Roku’s life gets flipped, turned upside down to a place he never knew he could go or one he’s not sure he even wants to.

Let me get my love for Roku’s new partner Trent Leonard out of the way real quick because this man is everything and even more when the contacts come off. I know, that made no sense but it totally will when you read the book. Trust me. Trent is this mystery, this beautiful Nordic mystery of a large and gorgeous man who has secrets but is so damn sexy you forgive him anything. Not that the secrets are bad, they are a bit stalkerish but it’s Trent so it’s all justifiable. The way he sees Roku though? The way he feels about the man and all that he does makes Trent super swoony and then when we learn more about Trent and what’s behind those contacts and what he can do with his hands… gah! He’s just amazing.

But this story, this whole world of fae and magic just blew my mind and I honestly don’t know how to review the full story without spoiling it and I would hate to do that. I will say that nothing is as it seems and just when you think you have a firm grasp on what’s going on, it slithers away from you and shape shifts into something far darker and magical than you, or at least I could have imagined.

I adored this book, if you can’t tell from my rambling. As I said before, Ford has a way with storytelling that is truly cinematic and everything flies off the page in living color that it’s almost tangible. You can smell the food, you can see the wings of the good and the bad fae with their vivid colors, you can see the spelled… everything as it comes alive and you can feel every damn emotion as they bleed into your soul. Was that too much? *shrugs*

While I am still new to the genre of Urban Fantasy I have to say I am falling in love with it. At first it was hard because I am a true hopeless romantic and it’s what I live for but in a story like this, the romance being as it is, not the primary focus, just makes it that much more intense when you get it. Like, you get the moments between Roku and Trent from the beginning, the flirting and the obvious lust between them but once each barrier is broken down and then you get them – really get them – something as simple as going through a door together brings so much swoon you better hope you are sitting down because the emotion will sit you firmly on your ass.

Yeah, this book was sexy. And it was also so deeply entrenched with family dynamics, clan politics and magic that my fingers can’t keep up with my brain as I try to explain how amazing it was. Even Bob the Cat was not only hilarious but freaking great! The story was intense and magical and I hope this becomes a series because there is so much more Trent needs to learn and so much more I need between him and Roku and that end? More, I just need more. Kay?

You know how I can tell when I a book is really good? When I don’t need to even go over my highlights and notes to write a review. I know I have a ton because that’s the way I operate but I am not even going to touch them right now because I need to hide them and keep them safe before I share. Call me selfish, call me weird, call me whatever but right now, I don’t wanna share.

Dim Sum Asylum - the name of the Arcane division of the San Francisco Police Department – was an intriguing and sexy story of one half human, half fae Inspector who’s only half living his life until he meets his new partner and allows him to open him up in oh so many ways. It’s a story about living your full life, taking chances, not killing your elders and making sure the magic, stays where it belongs.

Years ago, Dieter Krumpf’s grandmother died and left him everything, including a photo album containing pictures of the art collection she left behind when her family fled the Nazis. Now, Dieter is calling on the services of a lawyer, Gerald Young, to determine whether his family’s legacy might be returned to him.

Gerald doesn’t hold out much hope that the paintings will be returned, but Dieter’s earnestness speaks to him and he agrees to help. At first he concludes that while Dieter has a case, suing in Austria isn’t practical. But Gerald is a good lawyer, and as his feelings for Dieter develop, so does his determination to win the case. Together, Gerald and Dieter navigate research, hearings, and a dysfunctional family in the pursuit of fine art—and discover the art of love along the way.

Listening Length: 8 hours and 25 minutesNarrator: John Solo

Reviewer: R *A Reader Obsessed*

An interesting set up for a romance, this story nicely brings art, law, and love into the mix.

When going through his beloved grandmother’s belongings, it’s a surprising and amazing find when Dieter discovers that the paintings in his old family photos are currently hanging in a prominent Austrian museum. His great grandfather had commissioned several works from a popular artist of that time, but had to leave them behind as he and his daughter fled from Nazi persecution. Wanting to regain his family’s legacy, Dieter inquires whether it’s even possible to get the paintings back, setting in motion a battle he never expected.

Gerald is an up and coming lawyer ready to prove himself. Unfortunately, he doesn’t have high hopes for success regarding Dieter’s case, especially when he finds out the museum is directly supported and maintained by the Austrian government itself, who deems one particular painting a national treasure. It would be nigh impossible to win due to various laws, treaties, and legal stipulations, but Gerald agrees to fully investigate the matter. Luckily, an important piece of evidence is found, and the significant implications of such implies the possibility of setting a new legal precedent for how people could proceed in retrieving priceless lost items now owned by various governments and entities. Gerald knows such a case would make his career, not to mention bring an invaluable amount of notoriety to his firm. It also doesn’t hurt at all that he’s extremely attracted to the guileless Dieter, an interest that is fortuitously mutual.

What ensues in and amongst this legal fight, is the slow romantic progression between Dieter and Gerald, as they work together to build Dieter’s case. Dieter is young and at times, a lot naive to the cutthroat cynical world, but it’s his very innate kindness that lures Gerald in, as he works tirelessly to return what’s rightfully Dieter’s. The process of how they go about trying to obtain the paintings was interesting, and the romance attached to it was very nice, as their love grows slowly and steadily with plenty of sweet sexy interludes to fill in the gaps.

Funnily, this is exactly the second book from Andrew Grey that I’ve listened to, coincidentally both having been narrated by the same person, John Solo. This time around, I enjoyed both the story and its audible rendition so much more, as Solo executes quite an impressive read. Overall, I liked this unique tale. Its ending seques very easily into the sequel featuring a supporting character, as the fallout from Dieter’s case continues. Have no worries - the conclusion to Dieter and Gerald’s journey is complete, but other developments are set in motion, making me curious to see just how this series plays out and evolves.

Thanks to the author/publisher for the audio in exchange for an honest review

Cole Whitaker is happy. He has the job and boyfriend he always wanted. His heart’s in no danger of being broken, and he can’t ask for more from life. As a kindergarten teacher, he sees it all; however, one troublesome student has him reaching out to the parent, wanting to help. There’s something about Savanah that tugs at his heartstrings.

He never expected her father.

Zander Brooks hasn’t had an easy life, and he’s made some mistakes. Freshly retired from the military and working as a firefighter, Zander thought he’d left Cole in the rearview mirror. He’s not expecting him to appear in St. Petersburg, Florida, of all places, teaching his daughter’s kindergarten class. Suddenly, his biggest mistake is being shoved in his face.

This is Zander’s chance to close a door he’d never fully shut, but time with his former flame might change his mind.

This book is not helping the author crush I have on Meg Harding. Not one bit and I love it.

Cole Whitaker is in a good place in life. He’s a kindergarten teacher with a passion for animals and attempting to manage decent culinary skills to create edible food for himself and his current boyfriend. When a new student in his class starts behaving along the lines of bullying, he makes a note that he needs to meet with young Savannah’s father as he has learned from the little girl, her mother left. Cole is used to meeting with parents of his students but is so unprepared for who shows up as Savannah’s dad.

Time had done nothing to dull Cole’s memories of Zander Brooks, though he wished it had. He was supposed to be over this.

Zander Brooks is a local firefighter, a position he’s taken after leaving the military and receiving a child on his doorstep with a note telling him she is his daughter. Zander had no idea that a one night stand with a now faceless woman resulted in the creation of a child and now Zander is floundering with learning the process of becoming a parent to a five year old girl with a stubborn streak as wide as the day is long. When Zander decides to finally man or rather dad up and have a conference with Savannah’s teacher, his past comes rushing back to him in the form of Cole and with that, a level of regret disguised as mistakes.

Oh but I am a sucker for a second chance romance and when you add in Zander and Cole being teenagers meeting on a Military base, being each others first and everything for months, back when feelings were involved and hearts were broken and we are now 17 years later? GAH! My heart just aches for the story, for the backstory of what happened now and how will these two navigate the present as the waters of their past threaten to drown them in a tide of emotions.

Oh boy. The angst and UST in this were so damn good!

I have to throw this out there… I LOVE how Cole is with his animals and I am totally jealous of all that land he has. Le freaking animal sanctuary sigh, Cole. Le Sigh.

So, Cole has a boyfriend but while Patrick has become comfortable and safe in his life, he’s never felt the emotions and love he did and still does for Zander. When Zander literally rescues Cole and then they are forced into more interactions with Savannah and class field trips, the men start to remember what it felt like to be with one another and we start to get flashbacks of them together.

This has been… things have been weird since I walked in here months ago. Maybe it’s all in my head, and maybe it’s just me, but we’ve got tension. Our chemistry… it’s still there. I was, in my own roundabout way, trying to tell you that I don’t think we’re in the past. I don’t know that I can pretend we don’t have a history.

I was beyond happy that we get both POV’s in this story. So happy.

Zander has always believed that if you don’t get attached you don’t get hurt, it’s why he ended the relationship with Cole almost two decades ago and why he’s reluctant to care for anyone now. But with Savannah’s introduction into his life and the surprise of Cole reappearing in his life, it’s hard for Zander to stay aloof and unattached. He has the feeling that all he needs to do is fuck Cole out of his system and I wanted him to do it so so so bad because I just knew he was going to fail. A love, even a young love like Zander and Cole had that ended without closure, doesn’t disappear when the one you loved, is standing right in front of you wanting the same damn thing.

Kids in books are never a problem for me. I guess having kids and being one of those kids who was always told they were “four going on forty”, I know that kids don’t always act their age nor their shoe size for the general public. Savannah hasn’t had an easy life in her few years on this planet and she uses what she’s learned to her advantage. It’s a good thing Cole recognizes issues with problem students as something deeper and gives Zander some options to help his daughter. It’s natural for Cole to feel affection for his students and his relationship with Savannah was sweet but OMG watching Zander fall in love with his daughter was nothing short of gorgeous.

Now I mentioned Cole has a boyfriend in this book but for those who need to know, there is no cheating. Cole is a good guy and so is Zander and while both men feel a pull toward one another, neither crosses the cheating line.

What happened between them seventeen years ago hadn’t been teenage lust or infatuation. Everything he’d felt then, he felt now. Except now… now it was so much stronger, though no less confusing.

There is fate and there is serendipity and I believe Cole and Zander truly are the targets of both. Throughout the book the men are thrown together in situations outside of school that would seem contrived if they weren’t so genuine. Once they decide to give what they have between them a second chance I was a goner. Good lord. I love a slow burn romance and this was done so damn well that you feel it. It gives you all the feels you need and they smolder from the heat.

Phew… yeah. This one was good and it was so down to earth and real. There was no need to suspend any sort of reality because all that Cole and Zander have is real and once they open up and trust – again – it’s perfect.

You want to know what else was perfect? That epilogue. Goodness me that was beautiful and everything I could have wanted for everyone involved.

First loves are so important, they can either make you or break you but they are always remembered. When you have a first love like Cole and Zander, one that ends but it’s never had closure, it’s hard to let go of. When that love comes around again, with a second chance of a new ending and a happily ever after, there is nothing else to do take that leap and accept the fall.

Cole Whitaker is happy. He has the job and boyfriend he always wanted. His heart’s in no danger of being broken, and he can’t ask for more from life. As a kindergarten teacher, he sees it all; however, one troublesome student has him reaching out to the parent, wanting to help. There’s something about Savanah that tugs at his heartstrings.

He never expected her father.

Zander Brooks hasn’t had an easy life, and he’s made some mistakes. Freshly retired from the military and working as a firefighter, Zander thought he’d left Cole in the rearview mirror. He’s not expecting him to appear in St. Petersburg, Florida, of all places, teaching his daughter’s kindergarten class. Suddenly, his biggest mistake is being shoved in his face.

This is Zander’s chance to close a door he’d never fully shut, but time with his former flame might change his mind.

Excerpt

Time had done nothing to dull Cole’s memories of Zander Brooks, though he wished it had. His stomach rolled, and he had to lock his knees to keep upright. Breathe, Cole, you’re being dramatic. Of all the places for them to see each other after nearly two decades…. It was some consolation, a very small amount, that Zander appeared equally as shocked to see Cole. He stood in the doorway, unmoving and silent, his lips parted. Cole could feel Zander,s gaze on him like a physical touch. It made his skin prickle, his heart skip a beat. He was supposed to be over this.

Cole needed to find his words. He was a professional, and whatever personal history they’d had, it was just that. History. It was irrelevant in this room. He played pretend with his class sometimes. He could do that now. He cleared his throat, feeling a bit like a cat with a hairball. “Hello, Mr… Emerson?” It was less confident than he’d been going for, but it would have to do. Zander took a minute to noticeably reorient himself. He walked into the classroom slowly. His pace could even be considered hesitant. Cole tried to ignore the observation, the nagging surge of satisfaction that he wasn’t alone in being off kilter.

From behind him, Savanah snorted. Cole glommed onto the excuse to look away from Zander and turned to her. Savanah’s pert nose was scrunched. “Can I play outside?” she asked, gaze darting between Cole and her father.

Jesus. Zander was a father. Zander was the father who Cole had been wanting to meet. If Cole didn’t regulate his breathing, he was going to have a full blown panic attack. He’d been in love with one of his student’s fathers. He’d had his heart broken for the first time by him. Seventeen years later and it somehow still stung. “No, but you can use one of the stations,” he said, hoping he didn’t sound too strangled. He ran a hand over the back of his neck, damp from sweat. He thought it was possible he’d had a nightmare like this before.

Savanah pouted but went in silence to the reading corner. She made sure to scuff her shoes over the carpet on the way.

“It’s Mr. Brooks,” said Zander, sounding much closer. His voice was the same, deep and smooth like velvet. It sent parts of Cole’s insides fluttering in a way he hadn’t experienced in years.

Cole retreated under the guise of picking the workbook and pencil off the floor. Savanah had Goldfish crumbs littered around the legs of her desk. “Ah, I see. My apologies.” He aligned the book and pencil symmetrically on the scarred desktop. A few of the workbook’s pages were crinkled now, folding in on themselves. He tried to smooth them down and noticed in the process that Savanah had been working ahead. He made a mental note of it.

He was going to have to stop delaying and face Zander eventually. Could he play this off like he hadn’t recognized Zander or was that cat long out of the bag? “Why don’t you take a seat? I’ll be right with you.” He cupped his hand at the edge of Savanah’s desk and used his other to sweep eraser crumbs into his palm.

“Uh.” Zander coughed, shuffling his feet and rustling his jeans in the process. “Here?”

Cole managed to look at Zander at last. His lips even twitched into a half-smirk of their own accord at the picture of Zander squeezed into a child-sized seat. The smirk didn’t last long. Zander was too close. Cole could make out the nearly golden striations in his irises, could see the slow progression of his pupil taking over the brown. He had a scar at his temple now, a jagged slash from hairline to the arch of his eyebrow. Stress lines looked to be permanently etched in the dark brown skin at the corners of his eyes and mouth. If Cole didn’t know better, he’d have said he was staring at someone in their forties. The years they’d been apart had not been overly kind to Zander.

Strangely the realization left Cole with a hollow feeling, a tinge of… disappointment, maybe. He’d been angry with Zander with every fiber of his teenage being, but buried underneath had always been a quiet hope that Zander would figure out how to be happy.

Clearly he’d not.

Author Bio

Meg Harding is a graduate of UCF, and recently completed a masters program for Publishing in the UK. For as long as she can remember, writing has always been her passion, but she had an inability to ever actually finish anything. She’s immensely happy that her inability has fled and looks forward to where her mind will take her next. She’s a sucker for happy endings, the beach, and superheroes. In her dream life she owns a wildlife conservation and is surrounded by puppies. She’s a film buff, voracious reader, and a massive geek.

A desperate father. A lonely ranger. Unexpected love that can’t be denied.

Jason Kellerman’s life revolves around his eight-year-old daughter. Teenage curiosity with his best friend led to Maggie’s birth, her mother tragically dying soon after. Insistent on raising his daughter himself, he was disowned by his wealthy family and has worked tirelessly to support Maggie—even bringing her west on a dream vacation. Only twenty-five, Jason hasn’t had time to even think about romance. So the last thing he expects is to question his sexuality after meeting an undeniably attractive park ranger.

Ben Hettler’s stuck. He loves working in the wild under Montana’s big sky, but at forty-one, his love life is non-existent, his ex-boyfriend just married and adopted, and Ben’s own dream of fatherhood feels impossibly out of reach. He’s attracted to Jason, but what’s the point? Besides the age difference and skittish Jason’s lack of experience, they live thousands of miles apart. Ben wants more than a meaningless fling.

Then a hunted criminal takes Maggie hostage, throwing Jason and Ben together in a desperate and dangerous search through endless miles of mountain forest. If they rescue Maggie against all odds, can they build a new family together and find a place to call home?

Road to the Sun is a May-December gay romance from Keira Andrews featuring adventure, angst, coming out, sexual discovery, and of course a happy ending.

5 Hearts? NO! ALL THE HEARTS! Including my less than perfect one because this book gets them all!!!

Okay. I am going to warn you right now, this will be one hell of a rambling review because this book has left me strung out. I finished it, less than 20 minutes ago and I already have over 2,000 words and notes that have been transcribed from my recordings of thoughts. I had to record them last night on my way to yoga and this morning as I drove my boys to school. There was no time to actually write anything down but I had to get it out so I wouldn’t forget how I was feeling. Pish Posh! As if I could forget a single word or emotion this book gave me.

So, this book starts off with a bang of a prologue that I wasn’t expecting and one that had me wondering where it would all fit in. Once we get into the first chapter, I kinda forgot about what happened because you know, we get Jason Kellerman with his adorable daughter Maggie meeting the hunky Park Ranger Ben Hettler.

I have to take a quick moment to say how much I loved the setting of Glacier National Park in Montana. The park and specifically Lake McDonald (which you drive through the area to get to “Going-to-the-Sun Road” aka “Road to the Sun”) are on my bucket list and my phone’s background is of the gorgeously multicolored stones that show through the crystal clear water of the lake. It’s breathtaking in pictures and I can only imagine the lake, the stones and the park under the big sky is nothing less than stunning in person.

But back to the book.

Jason Kellerman is a 25 year old single father to 8 year old Maggie who is on vacation in Glacier National Park from Philadelphia. The pair is there because the park is young Maggie’s dream come true. You see, Maggie loves nature, the outdoors and everything that comes between the dirt and rocks under her feet to the trees, mountains and birds that line the sky. It’s her dream to be there and Jason is extremely fond of making Maggie’s dreams come true. Jason is a young father, having conceived Maggie with his best friend Amy during a fumbling encounter so Amy would have her first time with someone she trusted. The first time produced Maggie and shortly after her birth, an accident took the life of Amy and her parents. While almost everyone, including his own family, suggested that Jason either give Maggie up or let his parents raise her as his sister, Jason refused and set out to make a life raising his infant daughter on his own.

Jason’s issues with doing everything for his daughter are not foreign to me. It’s actually quite easy to get so wrapped up in your child and being the good parent, for whatever reason, that you lose sight of who you are. You are this new label, this new name of Dad and that is all that matters because your child, this innocent being that relies on you for just about everything has become your world and you end up revolving around them. But a tight and constant revolution can throw off the entire balance of the body, mind and spirit and that is where Jason currently resides. He just doesn’t realize it until he meets Ben.

Told in dual POV’s we know that Jason is fond of Ben when they meet and Ranger Ben leads a group on a hike and not only tolerates Maggie’s endless questions and on point answers, he seems to genuinely like interacting with her. We get Ben’s perspective right away and his thoughts on not only the young father – who is not his usual type – but Maggie as well warmed my heart. I adored Ben and when we learn that his long term boyfriend left him for the glitz and glamour of a Hollywood actor and became all that he and Ben were supposed to be, it broke my heart. Ben is left floundering with who he is and stuck in a town and a job that's been all he’s known. He hasn't stepped outside of what he wanted or where he thought he should be until he meets Jason and lovely, lovely Maggie. Only then does he start to realize that the instant attraction and protectiveness he has with Jason, this want/need to teach Maggie… these things are everything that Ben has been looking for his entire life and finally finds in a man and his daughter on vacation who showed up for a group hike. Ben, in a way reminds me of my husband who places family on the top all lists he could ever make. The man wanted nothing more but to be married and have children from the time he was a teen and Ben is the same way. At 41 years old, the ruggedly handsome park ranger is more than ready to settle down with a husband to take care of and kids to fawn over. It’s a nice thing he is attracted to Jason who has a sort of ready-made family to go. Right?

So Ben and Jason meet, there is an attraction on both parts and while Ben is ready for some action while Jason is available on vacation, Jason is still processing the feelings he gets as he is with Ben and checking Ben out. I loved sexual awakening/journey or even coming of age that we get with Jason. He and Amy got pregnant by mistake when they were both so young, just babies as teenagers that he never had the chance to explore what he likes, and who he was actually attracted to sexually. Jason’s thoughts on men and men in magazines was always more towards admiration of their physique and not an attraction to them in a sexual way. Ben naturally awakens these new feelings, this attraction and acknowledgment in Jason and it’s incredibly beautiful. I am sure that didn’t make much sense because the way Keira Andrews wrote it was gorgeous but I had to mention it.

Anyway. The men meet, they begin to spend more time together doing all sorts of hiking and sight-seeing whenever Ben could meet them and the rafting trip opens up Jason in a new way. But, his new insight about who is attracted to, namely men but more directly Ben, he starts to question if he is allowed to want it. Again, Jason’s decisions as a parent are not unique. Jason's parental guilt is something I think most parents have to deal with especially if you're a single parent you feel it a little bit more just because you're the only one your child has. Jason who decided to keep Maggie at such a young age has even more guilt and a chip on his shoulder, of being the perfect parent and as a parent, it's hard to face the fact that you took two heartbeats out of your life to give something to yourself and something awful happens. As a parent, yes sometimes we become so centered on our child that we forget that to be a good parent that self-care and self-love has to happen or else we can't be the parent our child truly needs. If Jason doesn't take care of his needs of letting himself feel emotions and be physical with somebody, with Ben, and allow himself to feel and love he's going to be full of anxiety and full of the worry… and we saw it happen.

Sorry. Rambling Red is on a roll.

The chemistry between Jason and Ben is palpable and when Ben says he is open to new possibilities, I was giddy. I adored that this book really focused on Ben, Jason and Maggie being together. In a way, it lets you know that they are what are important no matter what, that this trio, this chance meeting of three people is the focus, as it should be. Not saying there aren’t great side characters who you first loathe and then end up liking, but the focus was on the romance of this meant to be family.

Now, there is action that had my heart skipping beats and times where I so wanted Ben and Jason to stay put and not move but keep going because Maggie was all that mattered. Yes, something happens to Maggie and extreme situations can make or break people and this began to bring Jason and Ben together. Their first kiss was heartbreaking to me and their first time was nothing short of hot and a bit kinky but I loved that Jason put himself in Ben’s hands with complete trust.

But, that guilt is a tough one for Jason to kick and when his past shows up, he does what he knows and runs from Ben. The separation was painful and I ached for Ben and Jason to open up to one another. I can say that the reunion was amazing. Maggie’s reaction to her dad and Ben was so grown up but if fit her character and I really like that we got a few POV’s from her in the story as well.

I was told a few times that the epilogue would be something I would love and OMG was it ever. It was so damn beautiful that I openly wept tears of joy at my desk as I read it. That is how you write an epilogue folks. Goodness.

Road to the Sun was a stunningly tale of finding love when you thought your chance would never come. It’s a story of trust, of finding yourself and following your heart, even when it seems impossible. It’s a story that gave me hope, made me fall in love so much that my cup runneth over.

Keira Andrews has delivered another stellar read that I cannot recommend enough. Trust me, you need this book in your life.

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